>>catherine: the white house is rejecting a republican averting the "fiscal cliff,"... saying it would lower tax rates for the wealthy and stick the middle class with the bill. the house republican plan calls for 800-billion dollars in higher tax revenue over 10 years... but would keep the bush-era tax cuts in place for all income earners. president obama wants to end tax cuts for americans making more than 250-thousand dollars a year. the bottom line -- lawmakers made no progress today on an agreement. >> mitt romney has a job again.. he's returning to the board of directors at marriott international hotel.... he's been on the board twice before - but left to run for political office. romney has kept a low profile since the election - spending his time with his family at their california home. the romney and marriott families are close -- in fact - willard mitt romney was named after the hotel's founder -- j. willard marriott... >> heavy fighting between rebel and government forces in syria. now there is concern that syria could plan on using chemical weapons against t